Jung-hoo Lee

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Jung-hoo Lee

| image = Kiwoom Heroes Lee Jeong-Hoo (2019).jpg

| caption = Jung-hoo with the Kiwoom Heroes in 2019

| position = Outfielder

| team = San Francisco Giants

| number = 51

| bats = Left

| throws = Right

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|8|20}}

| birth_place = Nagoya, Aichi, Japan{{cite web|url=http://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1998082100209125012&editNo=45&printCount=1&publishDate=1998-08-21&officeId=00020&pageNo=25&printNo=23966&publishType=00010 |title=네이버 뉴스 라이브러리 |language=ko |work=Naver Newslibrary |date=August 21, 1998|accessdate=November 17, 2019}}

| debutleague = KBO

| debutyear = 2017

| debutdate = April 1

| debutteam = Nexen Heroes

| debut2league = MLB

| debut2date = March 28

| debut2year = 2024

| debut2team = San Francisco Giants

| statleague = KBO

| statyear = 2023 season

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .340

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 65

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 515

| stat2league = MLB

| stat2year = April 20, 2025

| stat21label = Batting average

| stat21value = .288

| stat22label = Home runs

| stat22value = 5

| stat23label = Runs batted in

| stat23value = 22

| teams =

Nexen / Kiwoom Heroes ({{baseball year|2017}}–{{baseball year|2023}})
San Francisco Giants ({{mlby|2024}}–present)

| highlights = ;KBO

KBO Rookie of the Year (2017)
KBO Most Valuable Player (2022)
5× KBO Golden Glove Award (2018–2022)
2× KBO batting champion (2021–2022)
KBO RBI leader (2022)

;International

WBSC Premier12 All-World Team (2019)

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's baseball}}

{{MedalCountry | {{bb|KOR}}}}

}}

{{Infobox Korean name

| hangul = 이정후

| hanja = 李政厚

| rr = I Jeong-hu

| mr = I ijŏn-hu

| koreanipa =

}}

Jung-hoo Lee ({{korean|이정후}}; born August 20, 1998) is a South Korean professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in the KBO League for the Kiwoom Heroes.

Lee won the KBO League Rookie of the Year Award in 2017 and the KBO League Most Valuable Player Award in 2022. He won five consecutive Golden Glove Awards from 2018 to 2022. Lee has also played for the South Korean national baseball team at the 2019 WBSC Premier12, 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

He is the son of Lee Jong-beom, who starred in the KBO League and earned the nickname "Son of the Wind,"{{Cite web|title=Power rankings, top players, key storylines and more: Everything you need for KBO opening day|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29124646/power-rankings-top-players-key-storylines-more-everything-need-kbo-opening-day|date=May 4, 2020|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=May 7, 2020}}{{cite news|author=Yoo Jee-ho |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20200703011500315 |title=2nd-generation KBO star wants to see more sons of ex-players thrive |agency=Yonhap News Agency |date=July 4, 2020}} earning the younger Lee the moniker "Grandson of the Wind."{{cite news|title=Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo takes lessons learned from legendary father to MLB|agency=Yonhap|date=December 16, 2023|url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231216000030}}{{Cite web|date=September 8, 2017|title=[KBO] '바람의 손자' 이정후 "이종범 뛰어넘기보다 저 자체로 인정받고파…새로운 별명 공모합니다!"|trans-title=[KBO] ‘Grandson of the Wind’ Lee Jeong-hoo, 'Rather than surpassing Lee Jong-beom, I want to be recognized for who I am... I’m running a contest for a new nickname!'|author=Kim Jin-hee|url=https://www.etoday.co.kr/news/view/1537046|access-date=June 18, 2020|language=ko|work= Etoday}}

Early life

Lee was born on August 20, 1998, in Nagoya, Japan, when his father was playing in NPB for the Chunichi Dragons.{{cite twitter|user=Shawn_Spradling|date=December 12, 2023|url=https://x.com/Shawn_Spradling/status/1734726686745264142?s=20|first=Shawn|last=Spradling|number= 1734726686745264142|title=Fun fact: Jung-hoo Lee is Korean. But, he was born in Nagoya, Japan.}} In a profile of his father when Lee Jung-hoo was seven years old, he was already attracting attention for his devotion to baseball and his skill at the game.{{cite news|author1=Chang Hye-soo |author2=Limb Jae-un |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2559942&ref=mobile |title=Kia Tigers outfielder invigorated after last season's slump, pay cut |work=Korea JoongAng Daily |date=April 25, 2005}}

Professional career

=Nexen / Kiwoom Heroes =

The Nexen Heroes selected Lee in the 2017 KBO League draft (held in 2016), as an infielder. Following spring training, Lee was included on the team's Opening Day roster at age 18 without going through the KBO Futures League. Converted to an outfielder, Lee became the first rookie out of high school to appear in every game for a KBO team. He finished the season batting .324/.395/.417 with 2 home runs, 47 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, and 179 hits, which set a new rookie record for hits. At the conclusion of the season, Lee was voted KBO League Rookie of the Year Award.{{cite web|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sports/2017/08/662_234374.html|website=The Korea Times|title=Park, Baek end Dark Ages for local aces|date=August 8, 2017|access-date=November 20, 2017}}

In 2018, Lee batted .355/.412/.477. In 2019 he batted .336/.386/.456. In 2019, he won series MVP in the playoffs. His father, Lee Jong-beom, won the MVP award in the 1993 Korean Series, with a batting average of .310 (9 hits in 29 at-bats) and three steals, the most in a game. With Lee Jung-hoo's selection, it became the first time in the KBO that both father and son won a postseason MVP award.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailian.co.kr/news/view/834753/?sc=naver|title=부전자전 이정후, 이종범과 최초 부자 PS MVPI|trans-title=The first father-son PS MVP with Lee Jeong-hoo and Lee Jong-beom|date = October 18, 2019|language=ko|work= Dailian}} Lee won another Golden Glove Award in 2020{{Cite web|url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20201211009351315|title=(LEAD) Star catcher earns near-unanimous support for KBO's Golden Glove|author=jeeho@yna.co.kr|date=December 11, 2020|website=Yonhap News Agency|language=en|access-date=April 26, 2021}} with a batting line of .333, 15 home runs, 101 RBIs, and a career-high OPS of .921.

In the 2021 season, Lee batted .360/.438/.522. On October 25 at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park, Lee hit for the cycle against the Samsung Lions.

In the 2022 season, Lee played in 142 games and hit .349/.421/.575 with 23 home runs and 113 RBIs. After the season, he won the KBO League Most Valuable Player Award.{{cite web | url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/11/17/sports/Baseball/KBO-Korean-baseball-Lee-Junghoo/20221117174014164.html | title=Lee Jung-hoo named 2022 KBO MVP | date=November 17, 2022 }}

In 2023, Lee played in 85 games for Kiwoom, and hit .319/.407/.456 with six home runs and 45 RBIs. On July 25, 2023, it was announced that Lee would undergo season–ending surgery after suffering a fractured ankle.{{cite web | last=Anderson | first=R.J. | title=KBO star Jung-hoo Lee expected to miss remainder of season with ankle injury ahead of MLB posting | website=CBSSports.com | date=July 25, 2023 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/kbo-star-jung-hoo-lee-expected-to-miss-remainder-of-season-with-ankle-injury-ahead-of-mlb-posting/amp/ | access-date=August 9, 2024}} On December 4, Lee was officially posted to Major League Baseball (MLB) by the Heroes.{{Cite web|title=Jung Hoo Lee posted to MLB: Former KBO MVP could set new contract record for Korean player|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jung-hoo-lee-posted-to-mlb-former-kbo-mvp-could-set-new-contract-record-for-korean-player/amp/|access-date=December 13, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

=San Francisco Giants=

On December 14, 2023, Lee signed a six-year, $113 million contract with the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball.{{cite web |title=Giants agree to six-year contract with outfielder Jung Hoo Lee |url=https://www.mlb.com/giants/press-release/sf-2024-lee-signing |website=sfgiants.com |access-date=December 15, 2023}}{{cite web |title=Giants tout Korean star Jung Hoo Lee as 'absolutely perfect fit' |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39121068/giants-tout-korean-star-jung-hoo-lee-absolutely-perfect-fit |website=ESPN.com |access-date=December 17, 2023}} The Giants also had to pay an additional posting fee of $18.825 million to the Kiwoom Heroes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5139416/2023/12/15/giants-jung-hoo-lee-contract-korea/|title=Breaking down the Giants' $132 million bet on Jung Hoo Lee: 'They paid for his ceiling'|first=Andrew|last=Baggarly|via=NYTimes.com}}

Lee hit his first home run in MLB on March 30, 2024, against the San Diego Padres. Family members, including his father, were in attendance to witness the event. Lee suffered an injury to his left shoulder on May 12, and the Giants announced that he would undergo season–ending labrum surgery on May 17.{{Cite web |last=Bachar |first=Zach |title=Giants' Jung Hoo Lee to Undergo Season-Ending Surgery on Shoulder Injury |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10121517-giants-jung-hoo-lee-to-undergo-season-ending-surgery-on-shoulder-injury |access-date=May 18, 2024 |work=Bleacher Report}} In 37 games for the Giants, Lee had hit .262/.310/.331 with two home runs and eight RBI.

International career

Lee represented South Korea at numerous international tournaments.

Lee's first appearance in the international stage was at the 2016 U-18 Baseball World Cup, as South Korea won the tournament. Lee then went onto represent the national team in the 2017 Asia Professional Baseball Championship, where South Korea place 2nd overall.

In the 2018 Asian Games, Lee delivered the winning RBI against Taiwan on November 17.{{cite news |date=August 13, 2018 |title=2018 아시안게임 야구 대표팀 선수 교체 |url=https://www.koreabaseball.com/News/Notice/View.aspx?bdSe=7133 |accessdate=August 29, 2018 |publisher=Korea Baseball Organization |language=ko}}{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/11/17/baseball/lee-jung-hoo-delivers-game-winning-triple-sixth-inning-south-korea-nips-taiwan/#.WhJk3OS1uAg|title=Lee Jung-hoo delivers game-winning triple in sixth inning as South Korea nips Taiwan|website=The Japan Times|date=November 17, 2017|accessdate=November 20, 2017}} He also played for Team Korea at the 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament, and led the tournament with five doubles. Lee went on to represent South Korea at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2023 World Baseball Classic as well.

References

External links

{{baseballstats |mlb=808982 |espn=5134621 |br=l/leeju01 |fangraphs=33824 |brm=lee---009jun |retro=L/Plee-j001}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.koreabaseball.com/Record/Player/HitterDetail/Daily.aspx?playerId=67341|title=선수(타자) | 기록실 | KBO|website=koreabaseball.com}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{Olympics.com|jung-hoo-lee}}

Category:1998 births

Category:Living people

Category:2023 World Baseball Classic players

Category:Asian Games gold medalists for South Korea

Category:Asian Games medalists in baseball

Category:Baseball people from Nagoya

Category:Baseball players at the 2018 Asian Games

Category:Baseball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Category:KBO League outfielders

Category:KBO League Rookie of the Year Award winners

Category:Kiwoom Heroes players

Category:21st-century South Korean sportsmen